Stardate 2016.33.1

A Mish-Mash of Projects

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been toggling among several different projects I have in the works.  Seems I can only work on one project for so long before wanting to switch my brain to something else.  I imagine we all do that – that’s probably why each of us has several UFO’s (or UFP’s – “unfinished projects”) in our quilting rooms.  Often times I find I get to a point in a project where I simply have to let it sit for a while; you know, “stew” in the brain.  I liken these phases to writer’s block:  you might know where you want to go, but you’re not sure of the creative path to get you there.  Of course, creativity can also just come from a spontaneous moment or thought, and then when you have that thought you have to start acting on it because you’re so excited to see your creativity come to life.  I guess it could be a case of being scatter-brained, but I'm going to go with finding the right creative path...makes me feel like I really do have a method to my madness...

So, as I contemplate bits and pieces of each project, I thought I’d share some progress I’ve made on a few of my outstanding items on the long list of projects I want to complete this year. 

With inspiration and excitement fueled back into the red applique quilt I started, I did manage to complete the block that got me re-excited.  I’m pretty happy with how it turned out as it does seem to just leap off of the red background.

I was so excited with how that block came together that I decided to get started on another one while the energy level was high.  So, here it is…one flower just about complete…only three more to go, and five more blocks to make before I can set the quilt top together…

The red applique block has been sitting for a week now; just needed a break from it and after going to an introductory class on the HQ Sweet Sixteen I bought, I learned some things I wasn’t doing quite right. So, with newly gained information in hand, I came home excited to quilt and got right back to the One Block Wonder quilt I’m working on.  With a more relaxed and confident attitude with my new knowledge, I quilted the blue inner border, and am quite happy with the results.  I also started using a straight edge to get a straight line with the machine, and found with a little practice using the straight edge could go pretty well…

Quilting the blue inside border on the OBW quilt.  I'm doing a modified half-feather pattern.

I started using the straight edge to make straight lines when free-motion quilting...so far, so good.

And, here’s a small sampling of what I have in the queue for quilt tops that need to be quilted.  One is an adaptation of the Lemon Squares pattern found on the Fresh Lemons quilt blog; the other is a scrappy Christmas fabric quilt, and the third is large star pattern I made from a Fons & Porter magazine…I’ll blog about how that one came about at a later date (there's a story behind that one)...

Three little quilts in a row...all waiting to be quilted.  Practice on the OBW quilt will lead to confidence to quilt these beauties (hopefully this year...)

Have fun with all of your various projects…and here's hoping get the opportunity to get some of those UFP’s ready for unveiling in 2016, too…

Stardate 2015.335.1

One Quilt Challenge Down; Another to Start…

I’m not a huge “quilt challenger” person, but when themes strike me, I like to see if my mind can come up with something. 

Earlier this year (2015), the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum had a 25^th Anniversary Challenge.  The museum, in Golden, Colorado, had its 25^th anniversary this year and challenged quilters to encompass 25 years of the things that have influenced them into one, 25” square quilt.  Fifty quilters answered the challenge – quilters from in-state and out-of-state, including me.

Here’s what I came up with.  I titled it, “Pressing Flowers in Newspaper” and it brings together influences from nature, the contemporary (or modern) quilting movement, Ruth B. McDowell (quilt artist extraordinaire), and Dale Chihuly (glass artist, extraordinaire).

The finished quilt.  25" square.

I designed the quilt from a photo I had taken of a sunflower earlier in the summer, and my brain got the idea from the way I’d photographed a Chihuly sculpture at one of his exhibits at the Denver Botanical Gardens.

Here's the Dale Chihuly sculpture that I drew inspiration from.

  

My sketches and notes for the design I ultimately used...

I used the piecing techniques of Ruth B. McDowell to piece the quilt together.  And yes, the circular center of the sunflower is sewn in – not appliqued (her techniques are awesome!).   Here’s the back of the quilt, so you can see all the seams. 

A shot of the back of the quilt before adding the backing.  

My quilt, along with the 49 others, was on display in the museum for half of the summer and the museum auctioned off the donated quilts and the funds went to benefit the museum.  In the end, my quilt was auctioned for $200!  I was surprised and overwhelmed!  I’m quite proud of the quilt and will remember if fondly as it goes to its new owner to enjoy.

Now, off to start on another challenge the museum has in store.  “Patchwork Pundits take on Politics” is the theme of their latest call for entries.  Check it out as it could be fun and interesting.

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum 

While there to view the 25^th Anniversary quilts, the museum had a quilt on display which was made around 1900 called, "Whig's Defeat" and it would have been made by women

The Whig's Defeat quilt. Circa 1900.

who supported the Democratic party at the time as quilting was a way for women of that day and age to express their political affiliation.   My brain stewed on the pattern, and I finally made the connection that I had a similar pattern in a book I’d bought years ago about quilts made by Talula Gilbert Bottoms.  The book, titled, "Family Ties: Old Quilt Patterns from New Cloth" by Nancilu Butler Burdick, includes the pattern, "Lifeboat", which is nearly identical to Whig's Defeat, and the narrative talks about the pattern being popular in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.  Don’t know why it was so exciting for me to make the connection, but it was. I think just making that connection to the past validated that we all carry on a long-standing tradition with our quilts which will continue to carry into the future for other generations to enjoy...

At first, I couldn’t think of an idea for the new challenge. Then, while in the middle of a jog one evening, my brain made a connection and an idea filtered in.  I’m currently trying to piece together an idea for a quilt; trying to put a few puzzle pieces together into a cohesive mass that will say something.  We’ll see how we progress.  Check out the challenge – it’s always fun to challenge the brain and the quilting ideas…

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced...